Safety ski-binding



Sept. 25, 1 962 v H. MARKER 3,05

SAFETY SKI-BINDING Filed Aug. 19, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

H. MARKER SAFETY SKI-BINDING Sept. 25, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 19, 1959 INVEN TOR.

3,055,673 SAFETY SKI-ENDING Hannes Marker, Aipspitzstrasse 37, Garmisch- Partenldn-chen, Germany Filed Aug. 19, 1959, Ser. No. 834,769 Claims priority, application Germany Aug. 20, 1958 11 Claims. (Cl. 280-1135) The invention relates to a safety ski-binding having an encircling cable and wherein the boot is released by sudden elongation or severing of the cable in response to excessive tension (e.g. during a forward fall). In certain customary ski-bindings, including safety ski-bindings, the encircling cable is tensioned by a front tightener with the interposition of a spring. In such bindings the front tightener is opened in response to excessive pull on the cable so that the cable tension is thereby eliminated. In other known bindings the cable loop is released from the front tightener or is expanded by displacement of the front cable ends which are secured in a clamping device.

Safety devices which are arranged forwardly of the ski boot, that is between the cable and the front tightener or in the latter itself, are not entirely satisfactory under all conditions of actual use. The cable, severely tensioned when skiing downhill, runs in a relatively sharp bend over the rear cable retainer to the heel slot. During a forward fall, the heel is snatched upwards and the cable is pulled back by the retainer against the tension of the forwardly located spring. Consequently, considerable frictional forces arise between the cable and the retainer, so that the tensile force arising in the cable portion running over the heel is only partially transmitted to the front tightener. Such frictional forces acting continuously during the ski run, damage the cable wrapping after a short period of use, thereby severely impeding a displacement of the cable at the retainer. During a fall, the increased tensile force arising in the cable at the heel cannot be or is transmitted only partially to the safety device at the front tightener.

In certain other known safety ski-binding the encircling cable is tensionable by a front tightener and is divided at the heel of the ski boot. The two cable ends are detachably connected together by coupling elements which completely free these cable ends when the coupling is released. The coupling is provided with a releasing member which is connected to the ski by a tensioning member secured thereto. By means of this tensioning member, the coupling is released when the heel is raised.

This safety binding is very unreliable since the release of the coupling is independent of the cable tension and the boot is freed only by lifting the heel to a certain extent determined by the length of the tensioning member. As this lifting of the heel depends not only on the pull of the cable but also on other factors, e.g. on the position of the cable retainer, such safety bindings are impractical for the downhill run.

In accordance with my invention the safety element for opening the encircling cable is placed at that point of the cable in which greatest tensile stresses occur during a dangerous fall. Such excessive tensile stresses are utilized for releasing the safety element. In a safety skibinding in which the encircling cable is didived at the heel of a ski boot and the cable ends are detachably connected together by coupling members at least one resilient element in the form of a tension or compression spring which is acted upon by the pull of the cable is inserted into the coupling in such a way that, when a certain spring travel is exceeded, the coupling members are released. Means is provided for adjusting the spring travel which determines the release of the coupling. Ac-

ate t a l C ing which embodies one form of my invention, with the coupling closed,

FIG. 2 is a partial plan and partial longitudinal sec-j tional view of the safety binding with the coupling opened,

FIG. 3 is a view as seen in the direction of the arrow III in FIG. 1,

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of one coupling member as seen in the direction of the arrow IV in FIG. 1, FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the other coupling member as seen in the direction of the arrow V in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a longitudinal section through a modified binding, with the coupling closed,

FIG. 7 is a similar section through the modified binding, with the coupling opened,

FIG. 8 is an end elevational View of the structureshown in FIG. 6,

FIG. 9 is a longitudinal section through a different binding,

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary partial plan and partial longitudinal sectional view of a fourth embodiment of my invention,

FIG. 11 illustrates the binding of FIG. 10 with the coupling opened, and

FIG. 12 is an end view of the binding as seen in the direction of the arrow XXX in FIG. 10.

FIGS. 1-5 show a particularly advantageous emb0diment of a safety ski-binding which is constructed in accordance with my invention. The two extremities or ends of the encircling cable consisting of two rearwardly extending elongated flexible binding members are indicated at 1 and 2 and their wrapping by the numeral 3. A symmetrical, substantially rigid engaging means in the form of a relatively wide coupling housing 4 is matched to the shape of the heel slot and supports itself there-" m. Two resilient elements here shown as compression springs 5 are arranged at right angles to and extend,

centrally and rearwardly from the housing 4. These springs are mounted on elongated guide means or bolts 6 which are firmly attached to the housing 4, as at 7.' A coupling member 8 is secured to the ends of these bolts, for example, by mean of a pin 10 pushed through the bolt eyes 9. This stationary coupling member 8 secures a second coupling member comprising two portions 11, 12 which are displaceable in the direction of? the arrow A. The locking portion 11 of the second coupling member which cooperates with the stationary coupling member 8 assumes the form of a threadedpin which can be screwed in the direction of the arrow A and is therefore adjustable with respect to the portion 12. Thus, the extent of spring travel necessary to bring about separation of the coupling members 8 and 11, 12 so that these members may move to the position of FIG. 2, i.e. the length a (FIG. 1) of the locking portion 11 projecting rearwardly beyond the member *8 can be adjusted by rotating the portion 11 with respect to the portion 12. As will be seen from the drawing, the locking portion or pin 11 is receivable in an aperture 13 of the coupling member 8.

A stirrup or yoke 14 slidable on the bolts 6 is arranged between the stationary coupling member 8 and the compression springs 5 (if desired, only one compression spring may be provided.) The cable end 1 is secured to one side of the yoke 14, as at 15, and the coupling portion 12 is connected to the other cable end 2 and is detachably engaged by the other side of the yoke. It will be seen that both cable ends engage with the yoke symmetrically. The outwardly curved hook-shaped end 17 of the right-hand portion 16 of the yoke engages with the coupling portion 12, and the latter is hingedly connected at 18 to a swivelling portion 19 attached to the cable end 2. This swivelling portion 19 is formed with a lug 20 which engages beneath the hook 17, as shown in FIG. 1.

The coupling member 11, 12 is therefore unable to move backwards, that is, counter to the direction indicated by the arrow A; moreover, it cannot slip laterally and off the hook 17. The coupling is thus secured against involuntary detachment.

The housing 4 consists of sheet metal formed into a section of open U-shape. However, this housing may also be constructed in such a way that it almost completely encloses and protects the coupling portions. The safety ski-binding of FIGS. 1 to possesses the following advantages:

The compression springs 5 are uniformly stressed by the two cable ends 1 and 2; in addition, the springs are not kinked and their operation is not impeded by friction at the heel of a ski boot. In this embodiment, the safety device is located behind and above the heel, i.e. it is protected against the deposition of snow and ice. Moreover, the ski boot cannot interfere with the coupling action of the safety device.

At the same time, the resiliency of the connection between the cable ends 1, 2 may reach a degree of perfection hitherto unknown. The tension cable no longer runs closely round the heel (formerly, it lay in the heel cable slot as a rigid cable loop or tension spring), but now runs rearwardly and beyond the heel where it forms an expanded loop. It is in the approximately triangular space formed by the heel and the cable loop rearwardly from the heel, that the resilient effect according to the present invention is to be found. This is the ideal place for cushioning the tension cable and boot thrust forces which, as is well known, occur continuously with varying strength and length of movement in tension-cable ski-bindings as a result of the closing of the cable tightener and in response to raising of the boot heel. According to the present invention, the boot heel can be lifted against the direct pressure of the springs 5, the space between the cable loop and the heel being reduced as the result of the cable being held down in the lateral guide hooks on the one hand, and as the result of the lifting movement of the heel on the other hand. At the same time an increasing compression of the springs takes place without the slightest force being lost, for example, due to the formerly usual mechanical deflection, through friction in the retainers, or as the consequence of the bent springs being tightly pressed into the heel slot.

Another advantage of the binding shown in FIGS. 1-5 is that the front spring is dispensed with; in other words, only a simple small tightening lever is necessary in front of the boot. A further important advantage of the binding is that during the operation of the spring or springs 5 the encircling cable does not transmit movements to the cable retainers, i.e. this cable is spared to a very high degree and no damages due to frictional forces can take place.

FIGS. 6-8 illustrate a construction in which two-armed levers or coupling members 32 and 33 are provided in the coupling, these levers being pivotable about the pins 35 in a coupling housing or engaging means 34 which latter bears against the heel. The cable ends 1 and 2 engage the shorter arms of these two armed levers, whilst the longer arms 36 and 37 act on the head 38 of a threaded pin 39 displaceable in the coupling housing in the direction indicated by the arrow C. Mounted on the pin 39 is a resilient element in the form of a compression spring 40 which bears on the one hand against a nut 41, and on the other hand against a plate 42 rigidly secured to the housing 34. The cable end 1 is secured to the hinge pin 43 mounted on the lever 33, whilst the outer lever 32 extends with its lug 44 into an opening 45 of a coupling portion 46 securely attached to the cable end 2. When an excessive tensile stress is exerted by the cable ends 1 and 2, the levers 32 and 33 are swung in the direction of the arrows, the pin 39 is forced downwards as viewed in FIGS. 67, the spring 40 is compressed and finally the cable end 2 is separated from the lever 32 as shown in FIG. 10.

In another embodiment which is shown in FIG. 9, the cable end 2 is secured to a coupling portion 78 which bears against one end of a compression spring 79. The other end of the compression spring 79 bears against a threaded sleeve 81 which can be screwed into an engaging means or housing 80, so that the bias of the spring is adjustable. The coupling portion 78 is hingedly connected at 82 to a two-armed coupling lever 83 which is pivotable in the housing about a spindle 84. By means of a lug 85, the lever 83 engages a second two-armed coupling lever 86 which is hingedly connected at 87 to the cable end 1 and whose notch or cavity 88 receives a transverse pin 89 of the housing. In response to excessive tensile stress in the cable, the lever 83 is turned about the spindle 84 in the direction of the arrow D, so that finally the lug completely releases the lever 86.

FIGS. 10 to 12 illustrate an engaging means or housing 126 to which the cable end 1 is secured. The other cable end 2 is firmly secured to a sleeve 127 which, by means of a forked coupling member 128, engages with a second coupling member or plate 129 which is adjustable in the direction XXX and is secured to the housing 126 by means of a screw 130. A compression spring 131 bears on the one hand against the coupling sleeve 127 and on the other hand against the housing 126 via a ring 132. In response to excessive cable tension, the spring 131 is compressed until finally the forked member 128 slips out from under the plate 129 and thereby releases the cable end 2, as illustrated in FIG. 11. As the pull of the cable end 2 acts unilaterally in this case, a certain displacement of the housing 126 with respect to the heel of a ski boot takes place. In order to facilitate this displacement, supporting rollers 133 may be provided in the housing if required.

The invention is by no means limited to the embodiments described above. Within the scope of the invention, the safety bindings may also be of different construction. Thus, for example, the compression springs provided in the safety binding may be replaced by other resilient means, e.g. of rubber or of synthetic material similar to rubber.

I claim:

1. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two rearwardly extending elongated flexible binding members adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for movement of said engaging means away from the heel, said coupling means comprising a first coupling member carried by said engaging means, a second coupling member fixed to said rear end of said other elongated flexible binding member, one of said coupling members being movable between a locking position in which said one coupling member engages the other coupling member so that said second coupling member is connected by said first coupling member to said engaging means and a releasing position in which said one coupling member is disengaged from the other coupling member so that said second coupling means is disconnected from said engaging means, and resilient means for yieldably retaining said movable coupling member in said locking position thereof, at least the resilient means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means at least in the locking position of said coupling means so as to prevent the boot from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

2. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two rearwardly extending elongated flexible binding members adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means is engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for movement of said engaging means away from the heel, said coupling means comprising a first coupling member carried by said engaging means, a second coupling member fixed to said rear end of said other elongated flexible binding member and being movable between a locking position in which said second coupling member engages said first coupling member and is connected to said engaging means and a releasing position in which said second coupling member is disengaged from said first coupling member and from said engaging means, coil spring means carried by and extending rearwardly from said engaging means, said spring means having a first end bearing against said engaging means and a second end bearing against one of said coupling members to maintain the second coupling member in said locking position thereof, and elongated guide means fixed to said engaging means and extending rearwardly therefrom through the interior of said coil spring means, at least the coil spring means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means so as to prevent the boot from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

3. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two elongated flexible binding members extending rearwardly from the front end of the binding toward the rear end thereof and adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to prevent movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and releasable coupling means for attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means and for automatically releasing connection between said other elongated flexible binding member and said engaging means upon exertion of excessive ten sion by said binding members, said coupling means comprising a rod fixed at one end thereof to said engaging means and projecting rearwardly therefrom, a first coupling member fixed to the free end of said rod, a second coupling member fixed to said rear end of said other of movement of said engaging means away from the heel,

said elongated flexible members and being movable between a locking position in which said second coupling member engages said first coupling member to be held thereby connected to said transverse engaging means and a releasing position in which said second coupling member is disengaged from said first coupling member and freed from said engaging means, connecting means slidably guided on said rod and releasably engaging said second coupling member, and a coil spring coiled about said rod and abutting with one end thereof against said engaging means and with the other end thereof against said connecting means tending thereby to keep said second coupling means in said locking position thereof.

4. A safety ski binding as defined in claim 3 in which said connecting means is in the form of a U-shaped member guided in a substantially central portion thereof on said rods and in which said first coupling member is fixedly connected to one free end of said U-shaped member while said second coupling member releasably engages the other free end of said U-shaped member.

5. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two elongated flexible binding members extending rearwardly from the front end of the binding toward the rear end thereof and adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for movement of said engaging means away from the heel, said coupling means comprising a first coupling member carried by said engaging means, a second coupling member fixed to said rear end of said other elongated flexible binding member, one of said coupling members being movable between a locking position in which said one coupling member engages the other coupling member so that said second coupling member is connected by said first coupling member to said transverse engaging means and a releasing position in which said one coupling member is disengaged from the other coupling member and said second coupling member is disconnected from said engaging means, resilient means for yieldably retaining said coupling members in engagement with each other, and means for adjusting the tension of said resilient means, at least the resilient means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means so as to prevent the boot from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

6. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two rearwardly extending elongated flexible binding members adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for said coupling means comprising a first coupling member carried by said engaging means, an elongated second coupling member fixed to said rear end of said other elongated flexible binding member and longitudinally movable between a locking position in which it engages with and is connected by said first coupling member to said engaging means and a releasing position in which said second coupling member is disconnected from said first coupling member and from said engaging means, said second coupling member having a locking portion engaging said first coupling member during movement of said second coupling member from said locking to said releasing position, means for changing the active length of said locking portion, and resilient means for yieldably retaining said locking portion in engagement with said first coupling member, at least the resilient means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means so as to prevent the boot from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

7. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two elongated flexible binding members extending rearwardly from the front end of the binding toward the rear end thereof and adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for movement of said engaging means away from the heel, said coupling means comprising a first coupling member tiltably mounted on said engaging means, a second coupling member fixed to the rear end of said other flexible member, said first coupling member being tiltable between a locking position in which said first coupling member engages said second coupling member to connect the latter with said engaging means and a releasing position in which said first coupling member is disconnected from said second coupling member and the latter is disconnected from said engaging means, and resilient means for yieldably retaining first coupling member in said locking position, at least the resilient means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means so as to prevent the boot from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

8. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two elongated flexible binding members extending rearwardly from the front end of the binding toward the rear end thereof and adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for movement of said engaging means away from the heel, said coupling means comprising a lever tiltably mounted intermediate the ends thereof on said engaging means and having a long arm and a short arm, a coupling member fixed to the rear end of said other flexible member, said lever tiltable between a locking position in which said short arm engages said coupling member to connect the latter with said engaging means and a releasing position in which said lever releases said coupling member for movement away from said engaging means, and resilient means for biasing the long arm of said lever so as to maintain the latter in said locking position thereof, at least the resilient means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means so as to prevent the boot from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

9. A safety ski binding as defined in claim 8, further comprising a second lever tiltably mounted on said engaging means intermediate the ends thereof and having a long arm and a short arm, said second lever being arranged symmetrically with respect to said first mentioned lever, the rear end of said one flexible elongated member being fixedly attached to the short arm of said second lever and said resilient means arranged to bias the long arm of said second lever.

10. A safety ski binding, comprising, in combination, two elongated flexible binding members extending rearwardly from the front end of the binding toward the rear end thereof and adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means connected to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said one elongated flexible binding member, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in a rearward direction; and coupling means for releasably attaching the rear end of the other of said flexible binding members to said rigid engaging means so as to maintain said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically releasing said other elongated flexible binding member from said engaging means in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members so as to provide for movement of said engaging means away from the heel, said coupling means comprising a first coupling member carried by said engaging means, a second coupling member fixed to said rear end of said other elongated flexible binding member and being movable between a locking position in which it engages the first coupling member so that said second coupling member is connected by said first coupling member to said engaging means and a releasing position in which said second coupling member is disengaged from the first coupling member and from said engaging means, and coil spring means for yieldably biasing said second coupling member to said locking position thereof, the rear portion of the other of said flexible binding members extending through said coil spring means, at least the spring means of said coupling means separated from the boot by said engaging means so that the boot is prevented from interfering with the action of said coupling means.

11. In a safety ski binding, in combination, two rearwardly extending elongated flexible binding members adapted to be respectively located on opposite sides of a ski boot; substantially rigid engaging means attached to the rear end of one of said elongated flexible binding members and extending in transverse direction to said elongated flexible binding members, said rigid engaging means being adapted to be located behind the heel of the boot engaging the same so as to resist movement of the boot in rearward direction; and coupling means for maintaining said engaging means in engagement with the heel of the boot and for automatically providing for at least limited movement of said engaging means away from the heel in response to excessive tension exerted by said binding members, said coupling means comprising a first 9 1% coupling element carried by said engaging means, a sec- References Cited in the file of this patent 0nd coupling element connected to the other binding UNITED STATES PATENTS member and resilient means for biasing said coupling elements in coupling engagement with each other, said 2,198,154 Duret P 1940 resilient means being supported by said engaging means 5 2,517,486 Hewtt 1, 1950 and separated from the boot by said engaging means so that the boot cannot interfere with the free play of said FOREIGN PATENTS resilient means, whereby movement of said engaging 140,881 Austria Mar. 11, 1935 means away from the heel in response to excess in tension 147,359 Austria Oct. 26, 1936 exerted by the binding members will not be impeded by 10 164,186 Austria Oct. 10, 1949 friction between the boot and said resilient means. 207,305 Switzerland Jan. 16, 1940 

